Back to the Spirit World
by KaliHaines
Summary: (THIS IS A REVIVED AND EDITED VERSION OF MY PREVIOUS FANFICTION. Please read even if you've already read it before.) Six years have gone by since Chihiro went back to the Human World. Her memories start to fade and soon are gone all together. Will she ever find her way back to the Spirit World and remember the time that she spent there?
1. Chapter 1

It had been six years since Chihiro crossed over to the Spirit World: Six years since she had met Haku: Six years since she saved the Spirit World: Six years since she let go of Haku's hand and ran back into her own world.

Chihiro had returned home and didn't tell anyone about the Spirit World. She was nervous to tell them; she knew that they couldn't understand, and all of her classmates would make fun of her. She decided to keep her secret to herself.

The house that the Ogino's had bought was boarded up when they arrived. Confused, they called the agency to get an answer. The house had been off the market for 40 years. The owners never showed up on move in day and they were forced to resell it. It was then sold to a family who accidentally started a fire inside a year later. One of the family members died and the house was taken off the market. Chihiro knew why the time lapse had happened, so it was amusing to watch her parents try to figure it out. Her father was convinced it was the aliens. Her mother just yelled at the agents and told them that she would sue them for not doing their job.

They found a house closer to the woods and happily moved in. Chihiro's father insisted that she stay inside. But being the way she was, she constantly snuck out to walk through the woods and visit the statue in front of the Spirit World. She would sit and converse with him for hours until it was time to go home. It would just stare blankly at her, but he was the only one that she could talk to about her problems and the adventures that she once had. She constantly tried to go back into the tunnel, but the other side was just the same woods she had come out of. She figured that it wasn't time for her to go back yet so she gave up. She knew that when it was time it would one day call her back.

But as time went on, she was slowly losing the memories of her time in the Spirit World. With every passing day she forgot a little more about it. She would try to force herself to remember, but every memory was becoming fuzzy. She couldn't figure out what was happening or why it was happening.

Her last memory disappeared while she was dreaming. Chihiro looked at Haku's face one last time before turning and running toward the human world. The memory slipped away as she let go of his hand. She woke up with an aching pain in her heart. She knew there was something forgotten but she couldn't figure it out. Eventually, she didn't even know she had lost anything. Everything had disappeared. She dreamt about the Spirit World sometimes, but didn't realize that she was recalling actual events.

Chihiro wrote down the dreams that she remembered in a notebook. She read her entries often and attempted to come up with reasons why these strange creatures were appearing in her dreams. She even borrowed books from the library that analyzed dreams, but none of them satisfied what she was looking for.

After Chihiro lost her memories, she stayed inside often. She had no reason to leave.

Chihiro's parents had also been concerned when her attitude adjusted so abruptly after their short stop at the tunnel. They noticed she was more calm and polite, and rarely threw tantrums anymore. They made her see a therapist but Chihiro kept everything to herself. After her memory loss, she would explain to her therapist about the dreams she was having. They gave her medication and told her she just had a vivid imagination. Chihiro's parent's did not let her go out with her friends much, so one by one her friends stopped asking to come over and she was left without many people to talk to at all.

But her friend Ryuu never left Chihiro's side. She met him the first year she started attending her new school, and they had been friends ever since. Ryuu walked her home every day and they spent countless hours together. He was Chihiro's best friend.

The day before, on the last day of school, they were silently walking home together when Ryuu stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, "Chihiro I need to tell you something,"

"Yes?" Chihiro turned around to look at him. His face looked puzzled and a little red, but Chihiro thought nothing of it.

"I just, I don't know. I've been wanting to tell you something for a while but I never knew if there was a right time to tell you but…"

Chihiro realized what he was going to say and it was what she had feared for a long time. She didn't want their relationship to change and she was afraid for him to even bring it up. She could feel that there was something in her heart that wasn't letting her have feelings for Ryuu. She wanted to love him, but she couldn't figure out what was holding her back.

"Oh no!" She interrupted, "I have to get home! My mother said if I was late today she wouldn't let me see you tomorrow," she lied and started to walk away, "I'm sorry, you can tell me some other time! I'll see you tomorrow!" She ran off leaving Ryuu behind on the sidewalk, feeling let down and embarrassed.

Chihiro flipped to the next page of her book. She sighed and wiped the sweat from her face. She was perched upright on her bed with her legs crossed in front of her. It was the first week of summer vacation and she was spending it inside reading a book.

She reached over to her desk and grabbed her cup of ice water. She took a sip as she continued reading. A strong wind suddenly blew into her room and leaves swirled in. One fell lightly onto her lap and she picked it up to look at it. Her gaze wandered out the window. Her chest suddenly tightened, and she had the urge to go outside.

Chihiro closed her book and stumbled out of her bed. She walked over to her bookshelf and slid it back into its assigned place. She opened her closet and changed into a loose purple shirt and jean shorts. She brushed her long brown hair and braided the front sections of her hair to the back and secured it with a colorful hair band that she had had for many years and kept with her at all times. She slipped on a pair of sneakers and walked to her door to see where her parents were. She turned the corner to see them on the couch watching the television. She rolled her eyes, went back to her room, and locked the door behind her. She climbed through her window and headed out toward the forest.

Chihiro felt nervously excited, but she wasn't sure why. She entered the forest behind her house and kept walking. She found a rocky path and decided to follow it.

She looked beside her, and on the side of the road were little concrete houses. They lined the road for as far as Chihiro could tell. Her heart started beating loudly in her chest at the sight of them. She walked toward them and knelt down to get a better look. As Chihiro was examining them, she heard thunder in the distance.

She looked up as she felt the first raindrop hit her nose.

"Oh no! Of course you would!" she yelled at the sky. It responded by raining harder. She tried to cover her head with her hands and stand closer to the tree but it started to pour. She moaned and started running to find cover. At the corner of her eye she saw something huge and red. She turned her head to see a tunnel. "Thank god!" she sighed with relief.

She darted toward the building but saw another strange statue standing in front of the entrance. She slowed down and came to a complete stop. She stood, soaking in the rain. She looked down slowly at it and it stared right back at her. The details were worn but she could still see its face.

("_Slow down you're going to kill us!") _

"What?" She whispered as her eyebrows furrowed. Her head shot up towards the tunnel and she ran in to it.

"_I swear I've seen that statue before but I can't remember when." _Chihiro continued running until she reached the middle of the tunnel. She looked around and saw that there were benches on each side. She decided to take a seat for a little while to catch her breath and get dried off.

Chihiro wiped her face dry as she heard the distant sound of a train.

_ ("Do you here that?"_

_ "It sounds like a train."_

_ "We must be near a train station."_

_ "Come on, let's go check it out.")_

Chihiro stood up and roamed to the other end of the tunnel. As soon as she got to the opening, she gasped.

The sky was perfectly blue and it wasn't raining anymore. Confused, she looked into the sky and then back down at the land in front of her. The wind was blowing gently and the grass was a perfect shade of green.

"Wow. This place is beautiful." The wind picked up a little bit and a couple leaves hit the back of her head. She turned around to look at the tower that stood before her.

_("I knew it. It's an abandoned theme park. See?") _

Chihiro stared at the building and then back behind it. There was nothing but grass going on forever.

"That doesn't make any sense! I just came out of the woods!" She started to walk quickly back towards the tunnel but a strong wind picked up and blew in her face. She could hear a soft, deep sound that seemed to come from the building in front of her. She was suddenly nervous to go back in.

_("Did you hear that building? It was moaning."_

_ "It was just the wind.")_

Chihiro shook her head. She didn't know where all of these weird thoughts were coming from. She shrugged them off and figured that she would take advantage of her new discovery.

Chihiro ran through the grass, twirling and jumping. She felt like a kid again.

She started walking again. She jumped across a stream filled with beautiful boulders, and climbed up a flight of stone steps towards a huge frog statue. She stood on the top of them and looked out into the distance, the green field in front of her. She got a sudden ache in her heart like she missed something dear to her. She looked beside her like there was someone there, but there was no one. She looked down as a tear welled in her eye.

She shook it off like it was nothing. A smell suddenly hit her nose, and she turned around. She smelled something delicious. She walked swiftly up the hill and into a small town. Dainty, colored little buildings lined the streets. She walked through and came upon a store with steaming food on the counters. She walked in, gaping at what was in front of her.

_("Come on, you guys. You can't!")_

_Don't eat it. _Her instincts told her.

Chihiro sighed in disappointment, "It looked so good though. But it was probably put out there for someone else." Chihiro kept walking.

"It seems like there's no one here. Why was there food on the counter then?" She asked herself quietly, "They must be somewhere nearby." She started looking around for other people, "Hello, is anyone here?" Silence. "Hello!?" Chihiro started to get nervous.

She soon came to an even larger set of stairs. "Maybe there is someone up here," She started to clamber up them. As soon as she got to the top, she gasped.

_("That's weird...It's a bath house.")_

In front of her was a bridge that stretched over top of a deep ravine. On the other side of the bridge stood a huge bath house. Steam poured out of the top and a flag flapped furiously in the wind. "Why does this seem so familiar?"

The light had started to fade from the sky and Chihiro looked out at the sunset, "Wow!" She ran to the side of the bridge to look at the brilliant orange and red sky.

_("You shouldn't be here. Get out of here. Now!") _

All of the sudden Chihiro's heart began aching again and she started crying. She knelt down on the side of the bridge and put her head in her lap.

"Why is this happening?" She sobbed. "Why does this place make me feel this way?"

_("Will we meet again sometime?"_

_ "I'm sure we will."_

_ "Promise?"_

_ "Promise. Now go. And don't look...")_

"It's you."

Chihiro quickly looked up in shock. She wiped her tears off with the back of her arm.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I almost took your food, I'm so sorr-"

"Chihiro."

She looked the boy in the face. He had shoulder length dark green hair and large green eyes. They pierced through her and she knew that she had looked in them many times before. She had longed for those eyes for many years.

_("Don't be afraid. I just want to help you.")_

_ ("And don't forget, Chihiro. I'm your friend."_

_ "How did you know my name's Chihiro?"_

_ "I've known you since you were very small.")_

_ ("Meet me at the bridge. I'll take you to your parents.")_

_ ("I've tried everything to remember mine."_

_ "You can't remember your name?"_

_ "No. But for some reason, I remember yours.")_

_ ("I've got to go now, but I'll be back to help you soon. Just stay out of trouble."_

_ "Thank you, _, you're a good friend.") Think Chihiro, think. _Chihiro stared into the boy's face and he stepped forward. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

_("You did it, Chihiro! I remember I was the spirit of the Kohaku River."_

_ "A river spirit?")_

_ ("Keep quiet! I don't want my sister coming up here. Ow! A paper cut!"_

_ "_ we're falling!")_

Chihiro stood up and looked at the boy's clothes. She stared at his face, his hair, his hands, his eyes, _(HAKU!)_

"Haku?" Chihiro said slowly. The boy nodded his head as a smile came across his face.

Haku tilted his head and whispered, "Chihiro."


	2. Chapter 2

At that moment, part of Chihiro's life flashed before her eyes. She could remember everything: From the moment she entered the tunnel guarded by the strange stone spirit, until the moment she let go of Haku's hand and ran through the grass toward her parents.

She remembered Lin, Boh, Yubaba, Kamaji, Zeniba, and the rest of her friends from the Bath House. She remembered Haku; the first and last person she saw in the Spirit World. Haku was the boy who saved her, the boy who had once made a promise, the boy that she had missed every day since she left.

Wide-eyed, she took a step towards him, but hesitated. It had been years since she had seen him and felt embarrassed that she had completely forgotten about him.

Haku smiled at her and Chihiro walked forward instinctively and wrapped her arms around his body. He embraced her and closed his eyes, smiling,

"Haku, I'm sorry I forgot about you. I don't understand how I could ever forget about you or this place. I tried to remember for the longest time, but I couldn't." She gasped through the tears that were threatening to stream down her face.

"Chihiro, it's not your fault that you forgot. Memories from the Spirit World are weak," He explained to her, "If you aren't present in this world your memories will eventually fade away. I knew that you would forget us but I needed to let you go."

"But what if I never came back?" Chihiro asked him as she released their embrace.

Haku took her hand and held it, "I'm unaware of how you were able to come back. It's never happened before. There was another human girl that entered the Spirit World, but that was many years ago," Haku's eyebrows furrowed, "The only memory left that I have of her is that she was once here. Our memories fade as well sometimes."

Chihiro looked at Haku with a puzzled expression, "Humans were here before?"

"Only one, but she never came back. I believe she forgot us as well."

"I guess I just followed my instincts and they brought me here. Even though I forgot, I think I needed to come back here for something. Before I lost my memories I tried to get back in, but the tunnel only led me to the other side," Chihiro told him, "and I knew that when it was time, the Spirit World would let me back in. So I think it was calling for me in some way."

Haku stared at her, "I thought you would never come back."

Chihiro smiled at him, "I've missed you, even though I didn't know what I was missing. I have a whole journal full of dreams that I had about all of you. Other people would have thought I was crazy," Chihiro laughed and looked down at his hand, which was still holding hers.

Haku still was looking at her face, "You look so much older."

Chihiro looked up and laughed again, "Well, that's what six years of waiting does to you. I was twelve years old the last time I was here. It was too long ago," Chihiro looked down and frowned, "So much has changed. I mean you're older too," Chihiro looked at Haku and smirked, "How old are you?"

Haku smiled at her and tightened his grip on her hand, "You don't want to know."

"But I do!"

"I'm a lot older than any human, Chihiro." He gave her a sarcastic smile.

"Well I know that," Chihiro muttered under her breath.

There was a silence as Chihiro thought about what to say. There was so much she wanted to know and ask that she didn't know where to start.

"Haku, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can," Haku looked at Chihiro questionably.

"Is there any way to turn a spirit into a human? I know it's a stupid question, but I needed to ask you." She looked away, embarrassed. The question was about him in particular, but she couldn't let him know that.

Haku let go of her hand, "Chihiro, I'm not sure. There have been rumors for a long time that there is a Great Sorcerer who has the power to do anything. No one has ever succeeded in finding him, but it is possible that he is out there somewhere. It would be a long journey, and you may never find him."

"Well then there is a possibility that he exists! Haku I want to find him!" Chihiro was so excited that she couldn't hide it. Her smile lit up her face.

Haku smiled but then it faded, "You might have to try and find him for another reason as well. I think the Spirit World brought you back for a more important reason than just to visit us again."

"Wait, what's wrong?" Chihiro's smile vanished as she looked up at Haku.

"Spirits have been getting sick and no one knows why," Haku explained to her, "One has even disappeared. It's never happened before and no one knows what happens to spirits when they disappear."

"Haku, does this mean that you could get sick too?"

Haku only nodded.

Chihiro grabbed his hands and held them firmly, "Then I will go and I will find the Great Sorcerer. Even if he is not real, I will do the best I can to find him. He will make you all better," Chihiro looked into Haku's eyes, "I can't lose you again."

Haku smiled at her, "That's the Chihiro I remember," Chihiro blushed crimson and turned around to face the bath house.

Chihiro started to cry. _Why am I crying? _She thought.

Haku realized that she had started to shake, "Chihiro?" They stood in silence, "Please don't cry," Chihiro turned around and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry; I don't know why I'm crying," she whispered into his chest, "I just don't think I can lose you again. It hurt so badly."

"I know, I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to leave but you had to live a normal life. And if you had remembered you would have always been trying to get back. It was for the best, even though it was hard." Haku hugged her reassuringly.

"Do you want to go see the rest of your friends?" Haku asked her after awhile.

Chihiro nodded excitedly and wiped the tears from her eyes. Haku reached over and wiped one off of her chin, "Let's go and find them," He said as he grabbed her hand and led her to the Bath House that she finally remembered so well.

When they walked into the door the chairman smiled at Haku like he always used to do and said, "Welcome back master Haku. Wait who is..." He squinted at Chihiro and then his eyes widened in fright. "It's a human!" Everyone in earshot started to panic.

Chihiro started laughing out loud. She took the hair tie out of her hair that Zeniba and her friends had made her, and put her hair into a pony tail: the way that it had been six years ago, "Don't you guys remember me?"

Everyone turned to her and their eyes widened in shock, "Sen!" Chihiro had never felt more satisfied to be called Sen.

Everyone quickly surrounded her and started asking her questions. Haku squeezed her hand and smiled at her.

Chihiro heard a familiar voice yell in the distance, "Hey, what the hell is all of this?! Clear out people, you have work to do!"

Chihiro's face lit up and she yelled, "Lin!" The spirits groveled as they started clearing away to do their work.

"Who called my name? I swear if you give me attitude about doing work I'll give you so much more." Lin saw Haku and gave him a questionable glance. Haku glanced at the girl beside him. Lin saw Chihiro and her eyebrows squinted. "Is that...?" She looked at Haku again and he nodded.

Chihiro smiled and laughed, "Lin!"

"Sen!" Lin's face lit up and she ran full speed toward Chihiro, picked her up, and twirled her around, "You stupid dork, you've been gone for so long!"

"I know, Lin, I'm sorry. These six years have been a long time for me too."

"You've been gone a lot longer than six years Sen." Lin told her plainly.

Chihiro looked at Haku and he frowned, "Wait, what are you talking about?"

Haku looked at her, "Chihiro, time in the Spirit World is different than yours. It's been around a hundred years for us."

"I made you wait for a hundred years?" Chihiro frowned.

"Sen, it's not your fault! Please don't feel bad. At least you came back to us," Lin told her and smiled, "I missed making fun of you!"

Chihiro laughed, "I miss that too!"

"Oh, you were so afraid of me! I wish more of these people were like you were back then. They are so disobedient." She scowled and looked around at the spirits still occupied by Chihiro's presence. When she turned back around, she noticed that Haku was holding Chihiro's hand. Lin smirked, "I see you've missed her," She said mockingly to Haku.

Chihiro blushed and looked away. She could feel Haku's hand shift in hers. She glanced over to see Haku's face turn red.

Lin squealed in joy and started laughing, "Oh stop, you two are so cute. I never suspected that-"

Haku snapped, "Lin, go and do your job. I'm sure you have something else to do." Chihiro looked over at Haku and noticed that he was red and looked overly irritated.

Lin was taken aback, "Whoa man, I'm sorry. I didn't know that would make you so angry," She looked at Chihiro, "If you need me, I'll be working." Lin turned and walked away.

Chihiro scowled and let go of Haku's hand, "Why did you do that? She was just messing around like she always does. You took her so seriously," There was no response, "Haku?"

Chihiro looked over at him and he was sweating profusely and shaking like he was freezing cold. His eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily.

"Haku! Haku, are you alright?" Chihiro looked at him with concern. He shook his head slightly and breathed out.

"I can't-" and then he fell. Chihiro caught him and struggled to keep him up.

She started panicking, "Haku! Haku, wake up! Someone help me! LIN!" Chihiro screamed. The spirits around her raced over to help put him down on the ground, "Get Lin, now!" About five of them ran off in one direction.

Chihiro turned to face Haku. It looked like he was having a nightmare. His head was shifting back and forth and his face was sweating. Chihiro felt a presence behind her and turned around. The Radish Spirit was standing with a washcloth in his hands. She smiled at him and stood up, "Thank you, sir." She took it and wiped Haku's face with it.

She folded it and set it on his forehead. She took his hand and entwined it in hers, "You'll be alright, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." She kissed the back of his hand. His head slowly stopped moving and his worried expression vanished. He exhaled as his body calmed down. Chihiro sighed. She let go of his hand to pick his head and torso up from the ground. She hugged his limp body, "Don't give up. I'll save you."

"Sen, what happened?" Lin ran around the corner.

Chihiro laid Haku back down on the ground and looked at Lin with worry, "After you left, he started sweating and shaking, and then he fainted. It was after he got angry with you. I'm really worried. What if this has something to do with the disappearances? I-" Chihiro couldn't say anymore. Her eyes started to tear up. She tried to hold it in, but thinking about losing Haku made the tears fall out.

"It's alright, Sen. We'll do the best we can," She turned around and started scanning the room. Finally she yelled, "Yo, Duck Spirit! Come and help me," The Duck Spirit turned around towards Lin and waddled over, "Pick up Haku and take him to the infirmary."

Chihiro hugged Haku again and let the spirit take him, "Thank you," Lin said to the spirit.

"Lin?" Chihiro whispered.

Lin knelt on the ground beside Chihiro. "Haku will be alright. He knows that you're waiting for him," Lin reassured her, "He won't give up so easily knowing that he has someone to live for. Without you, Sen, he would have given up long ago. You helped him find who he really is."

Chihiro started crying again. She wrapped her arms around her legs and set her head down on her knees. Lin rubbed her back.

After a couple minutes Chihiro had calmed down, "Come on, I'll take you to our room and we'll get you dressed. You don't have to work, but you won't have to stand out as much. Then you can do whatever you want." Lin stood up and offered her hand. Chihiro took it and followed her out of the room.

They took the elevator up to their room level and climbed out. Chihiro smiled as more memories flooded back into her mind, "I missed this place so much."

They walked into the room where she had slept in the last time and looked around in surprise. It looked completely different. The walls were a red color, and instead of sleeping bags there were mattresses placed on the floor. Even the cupboards with the uniforms in it were in a different spot.

"What happened?" Chihiro asked Lin.

"What do you mean?" Lin looked around and realized what Chihiro was talking about, "Oh yeah! Since Yubaba stopped running this place, we get more money and our living place is so much nicer. It _is_ a lot different than it was before, isn't it?" Chihiro nodded.

She remembered sleeping on the hardwood floor, unable to sleep, when Haku walked through the door and told her that she could see her parents.

"Wait, you said Yubaba wasn't running the Bath House anymore?" Chihiro was confused.

"Yeah, after you left she felt humiliated and quit, and they all appointed me as their new boss," Lin put her hands on her hips proudly, "And Haku quit being her apprentice and went off on his own. People didn't see him for a long time actually. No one knows where he went."

Chihiro nodded, "So where did Yubaba go?"

"She made spirits build her a house somewhere and now she is a retired house mom I guess." Lin shrugged.

"Wait, wouldn't Boh be older now?"

"Oh yeah. He's out of the house, and definitely not a baby anymore. Thank the Gods. She had another child as well; Ren I think his name was."

"Oh wow. No wonder the Bath House is so different."

"Yeah I know it's so much better now, if I do say so myself. Now let's go get you changed." Lin took Chihiro's hand and led her over to the cupboard. It was bigger than it used to be. When she opened it up, the working uniforms were lined up on hangers from smallest to biggest. Chihiro remembered fitting in the smallest size they had. She grabbed the one on the very end and took it out. She held it up in front of her and laughed.

"Lin, I used to fit in this," Lin looked at it and laughed. Chihiro was almost two times the size now. She put it back and Lin grabbed her a bigger size.

"This one should fit," Lin said as she took it off the hanger and handed it to her.

Chihiro went to change in the bathroom near the back of the room. When she had tied the white sash and tightened the pant bottoms, she took out her hair tie to fix her ponytail. She put the sparkly hair tie in the palm of her hand and looked at it. She remembered the night that all of her friends helped to make her that hair tie. Not even once did she take it off throughout the six years of her memory loss. "_Maybe this is what brought me back to them?" _She asked herself.

She missed the rest of her friends. Maybe they would help her on her journey to find the Great Sorcerer.

Chihiro sighed and flipped her hair forward. She put her hair in a ponytail and walked out into the room again. Lin turned around and whistled. "You sure have changed. You're not flat anymore!"

Chihiro blushed, "Lin!"

Lin was laughing at herself, "I was going to say it when I first saw you, but there were more important things happening."

"Yeah HA-HA, you're so funny," they continued laughing.

"Hey Lin?" Chihiro asked quietly after they were done.

"Yeah?"

"I, um… I think I love Haku," She paused to think, "Actually, I know I love Haku. But it's stupid and you're the first person I've told this to. I know it's impossible for it to happen but I've not been able to love anyone else the whole time I was gone because of him. Even though I didn't remember him, he was always there."

"I know you do. And I honestly don't know what you should do. But don't work yourself up about it. I know it's difficult, but right now we just have to focus on him getting better."

Chihiro nodded, "I know. That's the most important thing. I just wish there was a way for him to be a human. I don't even know if he is able to have feelings for someone, let alone a human."

"I'm not sure Sen, but I know you'll figure it out. That's what you do best." Lin smiled.

Chihiro hugged her, "Thank you Lin."

"Hey, you're almost as tall as me! This can't be. You were like this tall before!" She put her hand at her waist as a measurement.

"I was not! I was taller than that! You are a liar." Chihiro laughed. Lin punched her playfully.

"Hey Lin?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm probably going to be gone for a while. I have something I need to do."

"Why? You just got here. You can't go back yet." Lin looked confused.

"I'm not going back to the Human World. I just have to find someone. It might help everyone. At least I hope it will." Chihiro scratched her head.

"Then I'll go with you!" Lin seemed enthusiastic.

"Lin, I can't ask you to do that. I need you to stay here with Haku in case he wakes up. You need to tell him where I went. He's the one who told me about it. Please?" Chihiro begged.

"Hm, I guess. But you have to promise me that you'll be careful. Who knows what's out there." Lin patted Chihiro's head. "You'll be fine though. I know you can do it. Just remember Sen; Haku's counting on you. He'll be waiting." She smiled.

Just then they heard yelling and running around downstairs, "What's happening?" Chihiro asked, startled.

"Let's go, Sen!" Lin grabbed her hand and started running. They sprinted down the stairs and into a crowd of people. "Move out of the way, I'm coming through!" No one budged. Lin growled, "Sen is with me!" Lin yelled. Immediately, the spirits started moving to create a path for them.

Chihiro walked through to the center and saw a Yuna girl on the ground. She was shaking furiously. Chihiro could see right through her.

Chihiro ran up to her. "What happened?" She asked loudly. Chihiro tried to put her hand on the girl's back, but it went right through to the ground. Chihiro gasped, "She's going to disappear!" She yelled to Lin. She looked back to the girl, "I don't know what to do," She whispered to herself and the girl.

"It's...alright." The girl whispered. She smiled and her body started to turn into dust.

Chihiro's eyes widened and she screamed, "No!" She tried to grab at the girl, but there was nothing else to grab at. The girl was gone.

Chihiro just sat there staring blankly at the spot where the girl had been. From behind her, Lin took a step towards her, "Sen..." Chihiro got up and walked past Lin and the others in silence. Every face followed her while she walked out. Lin put her head down.

Chihiro ran up to the room and grabbed a bag from the closet. She threw in her human clothes in a hurry and ran downstairs.

She quickly walked to the kitchen and rang the bell on the counter. A spirit walked around the corner smoking a cigarette, "Yeah, what do you want?" He asked huskily.

"Sir, I need some food that will last awhile, preferably that will not spoil. And I'll need some bottled water, as much as you can give me please." She bowed politely.

The spirit grumbled, "Well alright, I'll see what I can do." He walked off into the kitchen.

"Thank you, sir!" Chihiro yelled after him. She heard another grumble. Chihiro listened as he rummaged through cabinets and drawers and yelled at other employees to help him find certain foods. She heard a refrigerator open and things fall out of it. There was more yelling before the spirit finally came out again.

"Would you like that in a bag, miss?" He asked her.

"Yes, please." Chihiro answered. He got under the counter in front of her and pulled out a plastic bag two times smaller than the Human Worlds'. Chihiro wrinkled her eyebrows. He walked back again and Chihiro could hear him putting items into it.

He finally came around the corner with the bag that was apparently full of food and water. She hoped that would be enough. He handed Chihiro the bag and then rang up the bill on the register. Chihiro reached into the bag and her hand went deep inside of it and she eventually came upon the food and water: a never-ending bag.

The spirit cleared his throat and said, "Money."

Chihiro growled. She forgot she had to pay for this food.

"Put it on Lin's bill!" Chihiro said and she started running away from the counter.

"Hey, get back here!" The spirit yelled after her.

"Tell Lin, she'll understand!" Chihiro yelled back and kept running. She stopped just so she could put her food bag inside her other bag and then she continued.

She stopped at the main floor and went to the Forman's desk. She stood there panting for a minute trying to catch her breath, "Yes, Sen?" The Forman asked.

"I need-" she gasped, "I need to see Haku. Where is the infirmary, sir?"

"Third floor, room 301." Chihiro had already started running.

"Thank you!" She yelled. The Forman started yelling back, but he stopped and smiled. He shook his head and went back to tending the spirits.

Chihiro ran to the third floor and stopped at the top to catch her breath again. She then walked quickly to the second door in the hallway and opened it.

Inside there was a whole other room filled with Nurse Spirits running around and giving orders. There were other doors leading into other little rooms where the patients probably were, "May I help you?" A woman asked Chihiro and smiled.

"Yes, ma'am. I need to see Haku. I don't care if he's not awake; I just need to see him. Please?" Chihiro begged.

"Right this way," The nurse beckoned with her hand and led Chihiro down another hall. She stopped right in front of a door and Chihiro looked at her. The spirit nodded and Chihiro opened the door slowly.

She took a deep breath and looked around the door. It was a decent sized room with furniture just like in a human hospital. The tools were different, and they didn't have a television, but other than that it looked normal.

The bed was in the back of the room next to the wall. Haku was lying on the bed under a blanket. On his head was a cooling rag. "Haku," Chihiro whispered to herself. She closed the door slowly and quietly and then made her way across the room. She sat in the chair next to the bed and looked at him.

"Haku?" Chihiro asked him softly as she placed her bag on the floor, "Haku, if you can hear me, then just listen. You don't have to try and answer me back," She breathed and continued, "I'm leaving now. I'm going to find the Great Sorcerer and bring him back. If he exists, then he is going to save all of you. If you wake up, please don't come after me. I need to do this." Chihiro took Haku's hand out from beneath the covers and held it close to her.

"Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being my friend and for never giving up on me." She stood up and leaned in near his face. She kissed his cheek and grabbed her bag from the floor.

She smiled at him one last time and stroked his hair. She turned to leave but then decided that she needed to say one more thing, "I love you," she told him without turning around. She walked out the door without another word. She was used to not looking back.

In his bed, Haku turned his head slightly while still asleep. The hand that Chihiro had held twitched slightly, "Chihiro…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chihiro turned around to look back at the Bath House and sighed, '_Here I go.' _She crossed the bridge where she had met Haku for the first time and then headed down the concrete steps. Chihiro weaved her way through the town trying to find a way down to the train stop. She couldn't quite remember how she had gotten there the first time since she had been running from No Face.

Chihiro eventually found a pathway leading down to the tracks. She stumbled down the dirt path and finally made it to the bottom.

It must not have rained recently and there wasn't any water on the tracks. She treaded across the rocky bottom until she came upon the first train stop. She sat on the edge to wait.

Chihiro suddenly looked up in panic, "Oh no, the ticket! I need a ticket to ride the train," she buried her face in her hands, "No, no, no," she repeated over again and she shook her head. She finally stood up, turned around quickly, and started running toward the direction she came from.

Chihiro stopped slowly when she saw a black figure in the distance. She squinted her eyes, "No Face?!" She started running towards him, waving.

She finally reached him, "No Face! I can't believe you're here!" she panted. No Face grunted enthusiastically. "What are you doing out here?" Chihiro asked him.

No Face's hands came out from the dark nothingness that was his body. He grunted again and extended his hands toward her. Chihiro looked down at them as he opened them up. Resting in his palms were four train tickets.

Chihiro gasped, "I needed these! I was going to look for some right now, actually. How did you get them?" No Face grunted. "Hm, um did Zeniba give them to you? I know you've been living with her," No Face grunted enthusiastically and nodded his head. He beckoned again for her to take the train tickets. She remembered him trying to hand her gold in the same way and she giggled.

She took them and bowed to him, "Thank you so much No Face," No Face grunted once again.

Chihiro heard a sound from behind her and turned. The train was coming down the track toward the stop. She turned back around to No Face, "Are you coming with me?" No Face shook his head then pointed to the Bath House. "Well then, I'll see you later. Thank you so much, again!" She waved goodbye and took off down the track back to the train stop.

She made it right as the train pulled up. She stood in front of the door and waited. The doors heaved open and Chihiro stepped forward. The strange spirit without a face greeted her at the door. He held his pitch-black hand out to her and she handed him one ticket. He shredded it up and let her through.

Chihiro sat down in the exact seat she had sat in six years ago. She looked down half expecting the rat version of Boh to be on her lap. But she was alone. This time she had no one.

Chihiro looked across from her to see a family of four black-faced Spirits. It seemed like they were talking to each other, but there was no sound. The only sound Chihiro heard was the sound of the train rolling down the track.

_Where am I even going?_ She hadn't even thought about that. Her eyebrows furled in confusion. '_Zeniba's!'_ She could go to Zeniba's home and ask her for help.

_("The train stop you want is called Swamp Bottom."_

"_Swamp Bottom?"_

"_That's where Zeniba lives. The sixth stop.")_

"The sixth stop." Chihiro said out loud to herself.

Chihiro sat in silence for what seemed like hours. She listened to her own breathing and watched the scenery as it flew by outside the window. She wished that she could explore all of these places one day. Maybe with Haku…

Chihiro shook the thought away. She had tried not to think of him the whole train ride but the silence wasn't helping the flood of memories haunting her mind.

_("Will we meet again sometime?"_

"_I'm sure we will."_

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise. Now go. And don't look back.")_

_I wonder what would have happened if I had looked back? _Chihiro sighed at the question she couldn't answer and leaned back in her seat. She slowly dozed off.

The train stopped quickly and Chihiro fell sideways. She awakened quickly and stood up. How many stops had they passed? There was a Spirit standing in the aisle holding on to a top rung, "Excuse me, what stop are we at?" He turned his head and held up his hands: five on one hand and one on the other. Chihiro sighed in relief, "Thank you, sir!"

She quickly grabbed her bag and jumped off the train. She turned around to watch it depart.

Before Chihiro turned around, she heard a whimper: A very quiet, but distinct whimper. She turned around and started heading towards the noise. Chihiro saw a flash of movement from behind a tree to her left. She walked slowly to it and glanced behind it. Sitting against the tree with her head in her lap, was a teenage girl.

"Excuse me, but are you alright?" Chihiro asked the girl. The girl gasped and stood up quickly. She looked at Chihiro with a terrified expression and then ran toward the direction of Zeniba's house.

"Wait!" Chihiro called after her. She ran after the girl all the way up until she could see Zeniba's house. The girl ducked behind another tree.

Chihiro approached her slowly and quietly. She squatted down near the girl and held out her hand, "Don't be afraid. I just want to help you," She smiled. Then she realized that she had just said the exact same thing Haku had said to her when they met. Surprisingly, the girl looked up. She looked relieved.

"You want to…help me?" The girl's innocent eyes burned into Chihiro. They were large and bright blue. They reminded Chihiro of a river.

"Yes, I do. I promise. I won't hurt you," Chihiro gave the girl a genuine smile. The girl stood up slowly while still clinging on to the tree. Chihiro also stood up and the girl flinched, "It's okay," Chihiro cooed.

Chihiro noticed that the girl was wearing a thin, light blue smock that came down to her knees. That was all. Her feet were bare and her extremely long blonde hair was tangled.

Chihiro didn't know what had happened to this girl, but she wanted to help her. She held out her hand and waited. Slowly, the blonde haired girl walked towards her. She hesitantly placed her hand over Chihiro's. Chihiro gripped it reassuringly and smiled. The girl managed a tiny smile, "Let's go," Chihiro said to her.

They made their way to Zeniba's front door and Chihiro knocked. She glanced behind her to see the girl looking down with her hand touching her mouth. She shivered in the night air.

The door opened and Chihiro heard the familiar and pleasant voice of Zeniba, "Come in, Chihiro! I've been waiting for you," Chihiro smiled and walked forward slowly with the girl still clinging to her.

The big woman was knitting at her table. She set down her project and looked up. Chihiro felt the girl wince behind her. She shuffled behind Chihiro to hide. Zeniba giggled, "It's alright; I'm not going to hurt you. I wouldn't do any harm to a pretty girl like you." The girl glanced from behind Chihiro and her blue eyes twinkled in the light.

"You think I'm pretty?" She asked innocently.

"Why of course! And your eyes are stunning. They are the bluest eyes that I have ever seen in all my years. Why don't you both come and sit down. I have to give some advice to Chihiro and I think you could use a little encouragement as well." Chihiro walked the girl over to the table and pulled out a chair. The girl sat in it nervously.

Chihiro went to the other side of the table and threw her arms around Zeniba, "Granny, I've missed you! I'm so sorry that I've been gone for so long." Chihiro said apologetically.

"Oh Chihiro, I have missed you as well. At least you came back us," she let go of Chihiro and held her out so she could look at her, "And you've grown so much. I've been expecting you. I had sent No Face out on a mission to deliver those tickets to you as soon as I felt your presence in the Spirit World again. I knew those tickets would come in handy eventually. And now is that time."

"I was just about to go and find some when No Face showed up! Thank you so much; I don't know what I would do without you. But Granny, I have no idea what to do next. The Spirit World is huge and there's no way that I can look everywhere. I need to save Haku. I need to help everyone else as well. I feel like I'm going to fail and everyone is going to disappear because of me."

"Chihiro, follow your heart. It will take you to the place you need to go. Your heart has done many things for you in the last couple of years. It led you back to us even though it was almost impossible." Zeniba smiled and kept knitting.

"That's all I need to do? What if my heart tells me something wrong and I'm not able to save anyone?" Chihiro put her head in her hands.

"You will be fine. Take this," Somehow, Zeniba had magically finished her project and was holding it out to Chihiro. It was a knitted bracelet. Chihiro took it and smiled. She slipped it onto her right wrist, "I see you still wear the hair band your friends made you. It has helped you a great deal."

"Yes, it's been the only hair band that I've worn for the past six years. I have a feeling that it's what helped me get back here," Chihiro smiled, "And thank you for this. It's beautiful," The girl shivered violently beside her, "Are you cold?" Chihiro asked her. The girl nodded her head.

"I have some clothes that you would fit in. You hold on young one." Zeniba got up and trotted over to a closet.

"What's your name?" Chihiro asked her. The girl whispered something that Chihiro couldn't make out, "What was it?"

"Kana," The girl said a little louder.

"Kana, what a pretty name," Chihiro smiled at her, "I am Chihiro. Where did you come from, Kana?"

Kana looked down at her lap, "I do not know. I woke up under a strange blue tree a long time ago and I have been wandering around ever since. No one has ever stopped to help me before." Kana was playing with her fingers, and her legs were angled in at the knees. Chihiro noticed that her legs and arms were scratched up and her dress was torn at the bottom. It seemed like she had been through many hardships.

"Do you remember anything before that?" Chihiro asked Kana. She shook her head quickly.

"Here's an outfit for you my dear." Zeniba walked over with a hand full of clothes. In her other hand, was a pair of shoes that looked exactly like Chihiro's old orange ones. She put them on the table and Chihiro grabbed the article of clothing on top. She handed her the short sleeve blue top. Both Chihiro and Zeniba turned around while Kana figured out how to put it on.

"I am done," They both turned around and Chihiro handed her a pair of light blue uniform pants. Kana proceeded to put those on as well. Chihiro handed her the last article of clothing, which was a white uniform top. Chihiro helped her tie it around her waist with a purple sash. Her uniform looked exactly like Haku's.

"Why do you have this uniform, Zeniba?" Chihiro questioned.

"I've had many apprentices over the years and they all have to wear the same uniform. The colors show your rank. Your orange one is a worker's uniform."

She sat Kana down and brought over a wet cloth and washed her feet in order to put socks on them. Chihiro nodded as she picked up the shoes from the table and slipped them on overtop. Kana picked up her legs and wiggled her feet around, admiring the piece of clothing.

Kana stood up and let Chihiro and Zeniba admire her. Her amazingly long blonde hair hung down to the lower half of her back. Kana was gorgeous. She was petite and had long arms. Her face looked young but timeless at the same time.

And her eyes… Chihiro couldn't help but stare into them. She fell into them and got caught by the river. She saw her pink shoe and immediately knew where she had fallen: Into the Kohaku river. Through the water swirling around her, she caught glimpses of him. They kept appearing around her in the water and then just as suddenly tossed away in the waves.

_("And don't forget, Chihiro. I'm your friend."_

"_Chihiro…"_

"_Chihi-")_

"Chihiro!" Chihiro was pulled out of the river and back to reality. She looked around in shock. Zeniba and Kana were looking at her with worry.

"I'm sorry, I'm fine! I just got a little dizzy," Chihiro reassured them. His face was still filling her mind.

"Well, if you say so," Zeniba said, "I was just saying that you should get going on your journey now. And I told Kana to help you." Kana nodded her head. She seemed nervous.

"Are you sure that would be alright? She could stay here with you, that would be safer."

"No, Kana needs to go with you. She needs to figure out who she is and why she is here. She is almost like you once were, Chihiro: She needs to make friends and discover herself. That is what Kana needs to do. Now get going!" Zeniba pushed them out the door and waved them goodbye.

Kana and Chihiro silently walked along the dirt path toward the train tracks.

Chihiro had no idea where to go next.


	4. Chapter 4

Haku's eyes slowly flickered open. When he realized where he was, he sat up instantly.

Haku winced as a sharp pain pierced through his chest. He held it tightly until it slowly passed. Wearily, he pulled the covers off of him and sat at the edge of his bed. He tried to stand up, but when his feet hit the floor he collapsed onto the ground.

"Come on…" Haku grabbed the bed and pulled himself up. He regained his balance and limped slowly across the hardwood floor and opened the door with the hand that wasn't holding his chest. He panted as he walked across the room toward the hallway. The Nurse Spirits stared at him as he passed. His nurse came running up to him, "Master Haku, you shouldn't be-"

"I don't… care," Haku growled. His nurse looked around not knowing what to do. She bowed and walked away.

Haku made it to the door and opened that one as well. He left it open and walked across the hall. The sharp pain hit his chest again and he fell against the wall.

"Chihi-ro…" Haku whispered through the pain. He pulled himself off the wall and continued down the hallway.

As he got into the elevator, he pushed the lever half way down and collapsed immediately onto the floor. He let himself lay there. He gripped his stomach in pain and breathed slowly. The elevator stopped abruptly and Haku winced. The door opened and a woman stepped inside.

"Haku!" Lin gasped. She yelled for a Duck Spirit to hold the elevator and she half carried, half dragged Haku out of the elevator, "You should be in the infirmary. Why did you leave?"

"I need to… see Chihiro." Haku panted.

Lin rolled her eyes, "Man, you guys are inseparable," she whispered to herself.

"Where is she?" Haku looked worried, "Did she… leave already?"

"Yeah she did, but I don't know how you would know. I was the only one that she told." Lin looked at him for an answer.

Haku sat up and caught his breath, "I remember hearing her voice telling me that she was leaving and to not come after her. She said something else to me but I can't quite remember. But she left already, didn't she?"

"Yes, she left yesterday," Haku pushed himself up on his feet and started walking as quickly as he could toward the other side of the room. "Haku, I have no idea where she went! She could be anywhere right now," Lin yelled after him.

"But I have to protect her!" Haku responded back.

Lin sighed, "But didn't she ask you not to go after her?" Haku stopped abruptly.

Haku stared at the ground; _I promised myself that I would always protect her, no matter what happened. She saved me and I made a promise to her. I have to keep it._He shook his head slowly, "I don't care." He then made his way to the door.

"Haku!" Lin started to yell after him but stopped, "Eh, let him do what he wants," Lin waved him away and turned to leave. She rolled her eyes but then her face dropped, _Please bring her back safely._

"Come on!" Haku growled. He was standing on the balcony of the fourth floor of the Bath House. A red ceiling covered it and there were pillars holding it up on either side.

Haku squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. He groaned as another sharp pain pulsed through his chest. Haku sank down to the ground and placed both of his hands down onto the wooden floor. His hair fell down around his face as he stared at the ground.

_(__Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being my friend and for never giving up on me… I love you.)_

Haku's eyes widened. He wasn't sure if he had actually heard Chihiro say that in his sleep or if he was imagining it. Haku closed his eyes and whispered, "Chihiro," as he made his hands into fists. Right then his body transformed into a white dragon with flowing green hair. The wind blew furiously, throwing leaves across the dragon's body.

His large, green eyes bore into the distance. He squinted as if making a decision and plummeted off of the ledge. Haku flew into the air and sailed, not so smoothly, through the sky towards his destination.

A teenage boy slowly opened the door and stepped out onto the ledge. He walked out into the sunlight and looked into the distance at Haku's vanishing silhouette.

The boy had shaggy blonde hair and was wearing a red uniform. He had a smirk on his face.

"So it's true. She's back," The boy said to himself with a smile.

"Hey! Who's out there?" Lin's voice came from inside the Bath House. She opened the door and peered out. The boy turned to look at her, "Boh, what are you doing back at the Bath House? You know you aren't allowed here." Her hands went to her hips and she scowled.

Boh crossed his arms and gave a sarcastic grin towards Lin. He walked toward her and stopped when he was right beside her. "Rumor has it that Sen has returned. Your dragon friend just confirmed it. I'm going to go and find her." With that, Boh walked away.

"You little…" Lin turned around quickly but Boh was gone. "Oh, he is such a brat," Lin rolled her eyes and walked inside, "Ever since Yubaba had that other kid he's been forced to do everything she says. This makes me really nervous," Lin sighed and went back to work, _He just better not do anything stupid or I swear…._

Boh walked to the middle of the bridge and stood there looking into the direction that Haku had flown in. His mouth turned up into a grin, and then he disappeared with a snap of his fingers.


	5. Chapter 5

Kana broke the silence, "Chihiro?"

Chihiro looked at her, startled, "Yes?"

"Um, do you know where we are going?" Kana asked timidly. They were still walking down the trail that led to the train tracks.

"Honestly Kana, I have no idea." Chihiro scratched her head in embarrassment. They walked along silently until they reached the train tracks. Chihiro saw a tree stump along the side of the dirt road and sat on it. Kana joined her on the other end.

"I just don't understand what Zeniba meant by 'follow your heart'. How do I know when my heart is telling me to do something?" Chihiro buried her head in her hands.

"I think you'll just know," Kana answered quietly.

"I really hope so. I can't let everybody down. They are counting on me to save this world and I have no idea what I'm doing," Chihiro looked up into the vast landscape in front of her, "When I look back to the last time I was here, everything seemed so…_simple_. I was saving my parents, not a whole world. Maybe I shouldn't have been brought back here. It might have been better if I would have just forgotten everything. I'm sure someone else would have found a solution." But deep down Chihiro knew that she was the only one that could save them.

"I don't know, but you are the first person to find me and I would still be in that forest if it was not for you." They sat in silence for a while just listening to the wind blow through the branches.

Chihiro sighed, "I should be home, spending time with my friends, being a teenager, having a boyfriend…" Chihiro's eyes widened, "Ryuu!"

This whole time she had forgotten about Ryuu. She had only talked to him the day before.

_(__I've been wanting to tell you something for a while but I never knew if there was a right time to tell you)_

_(Oh no, I have to get home! My mother said if I was late today she wouldn't let me see you tomorrow. I'm sorry, you can tell me some other time! I'll see you tomorrow)_

Chihiro shook her head and stood up, "I can't believe myself! I have to be the most selfish person ever. Come on Kana, let's get this thing over with so I can figure out what I need to do about my problems in the Human World as well."

Kana stood up and ran around the stump to meet her. "Why can't you believe yourself? I believe in you!" Kana exclaimed confidently.

Chihiro was shocked. She turned to face Kana and smiled, "Thank you, Kana," Chihiro responded and got a smile in return, "Well, I thought that I loved someone else in the Human World, but I knew that something was holding me back. Now that I remember everything that happened here, I know that I can't love the boy from the Human World," Chihiro looked into the water that was in front of her, "I'm in love with someone else."

"Who?" Kana questioned her abruptly.

Chihiro blushed but then frowned and realized the silliness of it all, "A river," Chihiro said sarcastically

Kana giggled quietly and Chihiro looked at her, "You love a river? But rivers aren't living."

Chihiro had to smile, "I know. But he's a River _Spirit._" Chihiro explained.

"Oh!" Kana gasped.

Chihiro laughed, "Yes, he's the most beautiful per…well, Spirit that I know." Chihiro smiled.

The train sounded in the distance, "Come on Kana, let's get started." Chihiro took Kana's hand and her bag of food and walked to the edge of the tracks.

The train slid across the tracks in front of them until it came to a stop. The same faceless Spirit appeared and held out his hand. Chihiro reached into her pocket, produced two train tickets, and handed them to him. He shredded them and let the girls pass. She looked down at her hand and realized that she only had one ticket left.

Déjà vu hit her as she walked onto the train once again. She missed Boh and Yubaba's little bird. They had become her only companions on her quest the last time and she hadn't even seen them yet.

Chihiro sat in the same seat again and Kana sat beside her. Kana slowly put her head on Chihiro's shoulder and fell asleep. Chihiro looked over at her and smiled. The train sped up down the track toward their unknown destination. Chihiro leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes slowly drifted shut and she fell asleep.

_Chihiro sat in her tenth grade classroom doing work when she was called to the office. Her teacher dismissed her, she bowed, and walked out of the room. She walked down the hallway slowly just staring ahead. She reached the office and started to open the door. From the other end of the hallway her friend Yuki called her name, "Hey!" She called back._

_The door hit something and there was an, "Ow!" from the other side. Chihiro whipped her head around to see a boy on the other side of the door holding his head. Her eyes widened and she continued to open the door without hitting him a second time. "I am so sorry! I wasn't paying attention! Are you all right?" The boy took his hand away from his face. His face was one of the most beautiful faces she had ever seen. He had dark brown hair and black eyes. She stared up into them. They were almost like black holes they were so deep and dark._

_The boy smiled and laughed. "I'm fine! I wasn't paying attention either so it's my fault too, don't worry," He smiled and slid past Chihiro, "I'll let you go, see you later." Chihiro turned around and stared at him as he walked away._

_"See you later!" She finally called to him._

_She was about to close the door behind her when she heard, "Oh wait!" She turned around to see the boy running toward her. He stopped when he got close to her. "I'm Ryuu. Ryuu Furuhashi. What's your name?"_

_Chihiro was still shocked that he ran back to her, "Um, Chihiro. Chihiro Ogino. Nice to meet you, Ryuu."_

_"Nice to meet you too Chihiro." Ryuu smiled at her and turned away. Chihiro blushed as she closed the door behind her._

"Chihiro!" Kana was shaking her awake.

"What is it Kana?" Chihiro wiped her eyes and looked at Kana in worry.

"I felt something weird. Like something was calling to me. I don't know I'm scared." Kana looked at Chihiro with her huge blue eyes.

"It's all right. Just concentrate on it and see what it's trying to tell you." Kana's eyes closed and Chihiro looked outside the window opposite them. Chihiro remembered her dream about the first time she met Ryuu. She had liked him from the minute she looked at him for the first time. But at that point she had already forgotten about Haku and the Spirit World. Chihiro sighed and shook her head again in confusion.

Chihiro turned back to face Kana and jumped back. Kana was staring straight ahead and her blue eyes were glowing. She was in a complete trance, "Kana!" Chihiro yelled at her and shook her shoulders. She continued to stare at nothing. "Kana, what's the matter?" Kana's eyes dimmed slowly and she looked over at Chihiro.

"We have to get off at the next stop," Kana whispered.

"Is that what the voice was telling you?"

"Yes. I think it's pulling me towards something. I also saw a boy. It was only a shadow, but it was definitely a boy," Kana's eyebrow wrinkled up, "I think that was all I saw. I'm sorry."

"No Kana, that's great! We know where to get off now! You're the greatest." Kana looked at Chihiro and her eyes lit up with joy. She wrapped her arms around Chihiro's waist and smiled.

"Thank you!" Kana gleamed. Chihiro set her hand on Kana's head and rubbed it.

A couple minutes passed and the train finally pulled up to the next stop. Chihiro grabbed her bag and Kana's hand, and headed out the door. The train pulled out of the stop and left the two of them alone at night in front of a huge forest. The only light they had was the soft glow of the moon.

"Well, it's really dark now, so there's no use in going in right now. We'll get started tomorrow morning. Let's get some rest." Chihiro got in her never ending bag and pulled out a blanket that she had grabbed from the Bath House. She spread it out on the grass and sat down. She waved for Kana to come and join her. Kana sat down right next to her. Chihiro produced another blanket out of her bag and draped it over top of them. They both got comfortable and Kana was sound asleep long before Chihiro was.

Chihiro lay there for a while, staring up at the sky wondering what Haku was doing. Her biggest fear was that Haku had already disappeared, but she knew that Haku was strong. She knew that he would pull through. Chihiro finally fell asleep with Kana wrapped around her waist.

Chihiro woke up just as the sun was coming up. She wiped her eyes and sat up. Kana was getting food out of the bag already and handed Chihiro a rice ball and a bottle of water.

They picked up both of the blankets and put them back in the bag and walked towards the forest wall, "Are you ready, Kana?" Kana nodded and they entered the dense forest.

They walked around for the longest time looking for any signs that would lead them to where they needed to go, "Uh, it's no use! There's nothing here but trees! I don't even think there's an animal in this whole forest!" Chihiro turned around and started walking in the direction that they had come from, "Come on Kana, we'll go somewhere else."

_Chihiro._

Chihiro stopped in her tracks and Kana bumped into her, "Sorry!" She turned around and stared into the vacant forest surrounding her. She shook her head thinking she was imagining things and turned back around.

_Chihiro._

Chihiro's head quickly turned in the direction that she heard it from. She took Kana's hand and briskly walked toward the voice.

They soon came to a huge bush that was tangled with vines and flowers. Something told Chihiro that there was something strange about this bush. She approached it and started pushing through the plants to make a pathway. It was thicker than it looked. Chihiro and Kana worked for a while pushing the vines and branches out of the way. There were cuts all over Chihiro's arms but she continued to knock all of the branches away.

Chihiro saw something hidden behind the last layer of vines, "Kana, help me get this last bit!" Kana and Chihiro broke all of the vines and branches to reveal a huge wooden door. Chihiro gasped. "What is this doing here? There's nowhere for it to go to."

"Wait! We need to open it. I think it might help us!" Kana went around Chihiro and pulled on the door handle. It wouldn't open, "Maybe I need to push it." Kana pushed hard on the door but it wouldn't budge. She held her head in embarrassment and scooted behind Chihiro. Chihiro walked up to the door and examined it. She held her hand out to the door handle and touched it. The door handle started glowing a brilliant golden color in Chihiro's hand.

Kana looked up wide eyed, "Chihiro, open it!" Chihiro pushed the door lightly and it swung open without any trouble. The only thing behind the door was blackness.

"What is...?" Chihiro felt herself being pulled in. Kana tried to pull Chihiro back but the blackness was sucking Chihiro in. She tried to grab onto the side of the door but her grip wasn't strong enough.

Kana screamed, "Chihiro, I can't hold on!"

"It's alright Kana!" Chihiro reassured her, "Wait for me, I'll be back. Let go now, I'll be fine. Take the bag and stay here." Chihiro threw the bag to the ground beside Kana. Kana's hand slipped and Chihiro disappeared into the darkness.

"Chihiro!"


	6. Chapter 6

Haku stumbled towards Zeniba's front door. He reached up to knock but was too weak and collapsed against it.

Haku woke up on a couch with a cold rag on his forehead. He had lost control when he landed at Zeniba's house and had scratches all over him from crashing into the trees and falling to the forest floor. The wounds had all been bandaged up and he felt stronger.

Haku sat up and the rag fell off of his head. His clothes were all torn up and stained. He set his feet on the floor and stood up. He didn't feel the pain in his chest, so he walked out into the front room where Zeniba was sitting at her table.

"You're finally awake. Are you feeling better?" Zeniba turned around in her chair to face him.

"Yes, thank you. I greatly appreciate you helping me," he bowed and smiled at her, "Do you know where Chihiro went? I figured she would have come here first."

"You just missed her. She was here yesterday and then she went off with a young girl." Zeniba stood up and walked to one of her cupboards.

"A young girl? Yes, but do you know where she went off to? I promised her that I would protect her." Haku stated.

"I have no idea. But I know what does." She opened the cupboard and brought something out. She walked over to Haku and handed it to him. It was a single string made into a bracelet.

"What is this?" Haku asked. He turned it around in his hands to inspect it.

"This was cut off of a string that was used to make another bracelet. That bracelet is on Chihiro's wrist right now. This string will guide you to her. You just have to listen to it," Zeniba pointed to Haku's chest, "Follow your heart, it will lead you to her."

Haku smiled and touched the bracelet. He slipped it on his wrist and walked toward the front door. He turned around and looked at Zeniba, "Thank you for everything. And I would like to apologize myself for stealing your golden seal. I wasn't myself back then." He bowed to Zeniba.

"I accept your apology, Haku," She smiled, "And you should be proud of who you have become. I know Chihiro is," Zeniba looked at his clothes, "Oh you can't go out looking like that," She walked over and put her hand over his clothing. The rips in his uniform repaired themselves and it looked almost new. He smiled at her and walked out the door, "You are a good person, Haku. Go and protect the girl you love." Zeniba closed the door and left Haku outside wondering what she meant.

Haku walked to the end of the dirt road where the water started. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the energy being passed between both strings. He felt a slight tug to the right. His eyes opened and his body transformed into his Spirit form. The Dragon dove underwater and started in the direction that the bracelet pointed.

He flew for a while underwater until the bracelet nudged to the right again. Haku came up out of the water and landed on the grass. He shook the water off of him and transformed back into his human form. He looked up into the deep forest ahead of him. The bracelet was pulling him forward so he followed its command and stepped into the dense brush ahead.

Haku walked for a while through the trees, following the tug of the bracelet that connected him to Chihiro. All of the sudden he heard a tiny voice yell, "Chihiro!" nearby. His body tensed up and he ran toward the voice. Up ahead of him was a huge bush that had been ripped through. The bracelet pulled tightly as he approached it. He entered the bush and ran through until he saw a girl crouched on the ground in front of a huge closed door.

The girl had extremely long blonde hair and was wearing a uniform that matched his. Haku slowly walked toward her, "Were you the one that yelled for Chihiro?"

The girl turned around quickly with wide eyes. She stood up and backed up against the door, "Who are you?" She questioned with a frightened voice.

"I'm Chihiro's friend. And who are…" Haku stared into the girl's bright blue eyes and remembered something from long ago.

_Haku was in town buying items for Yubaba. It had been a week since he had completely forgotten his real name. His eyes were glazed over and he walked without purpose. _

_He was about to enter a shop when he heard some pots crash to the ground a couple stores away. Then a voice whined, "Oh no!" Haku shut the door and walked toward the commotion._

_He turned the corner and saw a girl on the ground picking up food and pots that she had knocked on the ground. She was murmuring, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Over and over again._

_The smell on this girl was overpowering. His eyes suddenly cleared and he shook his head in confusion. He had not smelled this before but he knew what she was._

"_You shouldn't be here."_

_The girl stood up quickly and turned to face him, "I'm so sorry, I'll clean it up. I-"_

"_You don't understand. If you don't leave now you will get killed. You are a human who has entered the Spirit World by mistake. You must leave before sunset!" As he said that, the sun dipped down over the mountains and the lights in the shop turned on._

_Haku bit his bottom lip and scowled. He ran to the confused girl, "Let's go!" Haku took her hand and ran with her toward the Bath House._

_They eventually stopped on a grassy area besides the huge building and the small girl collapsed on the ground, "What was that for?" She managed to get out between breaths._

"_You can't be seen or smelled, I had to get you away from there. What are you doing here?" Haku stood over her and looked down at her petite figure._

"_Um_, _I went out walking today and came across a tunnel so I entered it. I had no idea that I was entering the Spirit World. Is this like a castle?" she asked excitedly. She looked behind her at the Bath House._

"_Hardly. But you need to eat something before you disappear." He kneeled down and picked up a small berry and handed it to her, "After you eat this, you become part of this world. You will be able to get back to the Human World but only after Yubaba lets you. And that will be the hardest part."_

_The girl ate it and asked, "Who's Yubaba?"_

"_She's the new owner of the Bath House. The Spirits come here to get cleaned. In order to get back you will probably have to work there under Yubaba's orders for a while."_

"_I can do that. Only if you stay with me though." She held out her hand._

"_I'll try my best," Haku shook her hand. The girl stood up and so did Haku. She was a short girl with a light blue dress on. She had long blonde hair and striking blue eyes._

_"My name is…" Haku thought hard but his real name wouldn't leave his mouth, "My name is Haku," he said in disappointment, "What's your name?"_

_The girl looked at him with her blue eyes and answered, "Kana."_

Haku gaped at the frightened girl that he had forgotten about, "Kana?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chihiro let go of Kana's hand and was pulled into the darkness. The nothingness pulled her down to a solid surface. Chihiro looked down at herself and noticed that she could see herself as clearly as if she was in the sunlight. She stood up and started walking forward.

(_You shouldn't be here_,) Chihiro's head whipped around. Haku stood in front of her with wide eyes. Her heart started to pound loudly.

"Haku!" She ran, ready to embrace him, "What are you doing here?"

(_Get out of here, now_!) Chihiro slowed down to a stop and dropped her arms. His motions seemed too familiar. Chihiro hung her head, (_You've got to get across the river. Go, I'll distract them.) _He ran through Chihiro while pushing an invisible girl that Chihiro didn't even know anymore. Haku disappeared into the darkness.

Chihiro felt her eyes watering. She knelt on the floor and put her hands to her face. The tears started falling. She had thought he was the real Haku, but she was alone. She was alone in the dark and had no idea what was happening.

_(And don't forget, Chihiro. I'm your friend.)_Her head shot up and Haku was kneeling right beside her. His hand was on her shoulder but she couldn't feel anything. His face was so close to hers. She instinctively reached out and tried to grab his face. Right as she touched the illusion, it disappeared and left Chihiro alone and with both hands reaching out towards him.

"Haku," She dropped her hands and stood up slowly. She started walking briskly forward. "The quicker that I finish this, the sooner that I can see Haku."

_(Hang on, almost there.)_Haku was beside her. Chihiro started running and left the illusion behind. As she ran, the illusions shot past her.

_(...help you.)_

_(Calm down...)_

_(You did very well...)_

_(I've known you...)_

_(...I remember yours.)_

_(...could hear Sen's voice calling out to me.)_Chihiro slowed down and looked behind her confused. She didn't remember Haku saying that. She started running again.

_(...can't go any farther.)_

_(Promise, now don't look back.)_Chihiro stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around to watch this illusion. Haku's hand reached out and let go of the invisible Chihiro's hand. His arm lingered there for a moment and then retreated back to his side. _(Goodbye Chihiro)_He stared into the distance, and then his head dropped. Haku looked up one more time and then turned around and walked away slowly.

"Haku," Her eyes started to tear up again. She walked slowly forward and saw Haku sitting on the stone steps that he had just left. Chihiro's eyes wrinkled in confusion. She walked passed it until she saw the same memory again. Haku sat on the top step looking out into the distance. Chihiro's eyes widened in realization, "He was waiting for me that whole time." Chihiro blushed and started running again, passing many of the same images of Haku. It was too painful for her to watch.

Chihiro saw a light in the distance and she ran towards it. But then she saw Haku again. It was the first new memory of Haku's that she had seen in a while. She knew she shouldn't watch it, but she wanted to see him. It made her feel less alone. She stopped and looked at Haku's face.

He was sitting at a desk, writing something on a sheet of paper. All of the sudden his face lifted and his eyes lit up. He pushed the chair back and ran from the room. Chihiro followed him with her eyes until he disappeared.

He appeared in front of her again. His eyes were a brilliant green and they were looking at something on the ground. He looked like he could cry with happiness. He took a step closer and smiled the most beautiful smile Chihiro had ever seen. It was so familiar to her.

_(It's you,)_

Chihiro put her hands up to her mouth. This was the moment when they saw each other again. Haku had waited all those years for her to return and that was the moment when he finally saw her again.

_(Chihiro…)_

Chihiro walked up to the illusion and reached up toward his face without touching it, "I love you."

She turned around and ran toward the light again. She needed to see Haku.

As the light got closer she ran faster, and faster. She didn't stop when she reached the light. She ran right through it and dropped.

Chihiro woke up suddenly and sat up. She gasped when she realized where she was. She was sitting on her bed in her own room. She got out of bed and ran downstairs. "Mom, dad!" There was no answer, "Was I dreaming? Please don't tell me that I was dreaming." She started walking towards the living room where her parents usually were.

"Oh wait!" She looked down at her wrist, and there sat her new bracelet made by Zeniba. "I wasn't dreaming. Then why am I back in my own house?"

She walked into her living room and saw her parents sitting on the couch facing the television, right where she left them. The television was on but nothing was happening. The picture wasn't moving. "Hey what are you guys watching?" She rounded the couch and looked at her parents. They were as still as statues. Their eyes were focused on the TV and her dad was about to put a cookie into his mouth, "No way," Chihiro backed up and ran out of her house.

The same thing had happened outside too. There were leaves suspended in the air, and birds were in mid flight up above. Chihiro ran up into the woods where the tunnel to the Spirit World should have been but she couldn't find it. She ran back to town to see if she could find any answers but her world was frozen.

Chihiro walked around town for a while not knowing what to do. She eventually sat down on an empty bench. She put her face in her hands and leaned down on her knees. She had no idea how to get out.

"Who are you?" A voice said from in front of her.

Chihiro jumped up in surprise. Her heart pounded loudly, "You scared me, who are you? Do you know why everyone is frozen?" She asked as she looked at the figure. The boy was in a black cloak that covered his face.

"I asked you first. Who are you?" The boy asked forcefully. He sounded familiar but Chihiro didn't pay any attention to it.

"I'm Chihiro Ogino. I just fell here from the Spirit World. How are you moving and everything else is frozen?"

"I'm the one asking questions. Are you a Spirit?"

Chihiro scowled at his rudeness, "No."

"Are you a human?"

"What else would I be? I'm not an animal," Chihiro retorted sarcastically.

"How did you get in the Spirit World then?"

"I was there once already when I was twelve and then I somehow was able to get back a couple days ago. Are you done asking questions yet?"

"How did you get here?"

"Apparently you aren't," Chihiro rolled her eyes, "I was searching for someone to help the spirits from disappearing and I entered this wooden door in a forest that eventually led me back to my frozen town."

"So you were looking for me?"

"No, I was looking for the Great Sorcerer. I was told that he could cure them."

"Then you were looking for me." Chihiro's eyes widened.

"You are the Great Sorcerer?"

"I am. I used to rein among the Spirit World long ago. Then my enemy managed to overthrow me and banished me into this frozen world. He took my powers and I've been waiting a long time for a human to release me. The prophecy says that the chosen human will appear to me and break the curse. When that happens I can be reunited with my powers again. So I guess you are the chosen one?"

"I guess so." Chihiro couldn't believe it. She had actually found what she was looking for.

"So a young girl was chosen to find me. Well you managed to do it so I give you credit." He reached up and removed the cloak from his face. The boy had dark brown hair and black eyes.

Chihiro gasped, "Ryuu!" She ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"What are you doing?" Chihiro let go of his waist.

"We're best friends! We go to school together!" The boy who looked like Ryuu just stood there staring at her, "We met when I opened the door on your face?" He continued to stare at her, "We just talked the other day!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." The boy stepped away from her, confused.

"I know you are Ryuu. I know what he looks like."

"Well I don't think you do. I am the Great Sorcerer."

Chihiro knew that she wasn't just seeing things. This boy was Ryuu. She wouldn't mistake his face for anything. "Fine then, Great Sorcerer. I'll only get you out of here if you agree to help me cure the Spirits."

"Only if you can get me out of here."

Chihiro made a face at him and started walking, "Then let's go."

Chihiro bit her lip. Once again, Chihiro had no idea what she was doing.


	8. Chapter 8

Kana's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the boy in front of her, "How do you know me?"

Haku stood there, his eyes wide, "I remember you. You're the girl from before! You're the human girl! We worked in the Bath House together for a long time before you went back to the Human World. Don't you remember?" Haku stepped forward and tried to grab her hands.

Kana took a step back, confused, "I'm sorry, I don't remember you. Maybe it was someone else. I've been trapped here for a long time and I can't remember anything. I only know my name," she took a step back.

"It's you Kana, I finally remembered you," Haku shook his head, "I can't believe it."

Kana paused and looked at his face, "Are you the boy?" She squinted her eyes at Haku.

"Yes, I'm the boy who found you on the day that you came here from the Human World."

"No, I mean the boy that Chihiro always talks about. Are you the River Spirit?" Kana asked bluntly.

"Oh… Um yes I guess I am. She talked about me?" Haku scratched his head in embarrassment.

"She said she doesn't know what to do and something is impossible. I'm not quite sure what that means. But I think it was about you. She said you were beautiful or something like that," Kana shrugged.

Haku paused, not knowing what to say, "Where is she?" Kana pointed toward the wooden door looming behind her. Haku reached behind and tried to open it but it wouldn't budge.

"It won't open. I've tried."

"I need to see her Kana. I need to protect her," He leaned his head against the door and placed his hand against the wooden framework.

"Chihiro told me to wait for her. I think she would say the same thing to you. She said she doesn't believe in herself so we have to believe in her. She needs us," Kana said with confidence.

Haku laughed and turned back to her, "You're exactly the same person that I remember. I'm still trying to remember everything about you but that just brought back so many memories. I wish you could somehow remember them. Maybe if we keep talking it will spark something."

"I hope so because you are confusing me very much," Haku laughed again, "I tried to help Chihiro, but it just pulled her in. I couldn't do anything about it."

"It's okay Kana, it's not your fault. Maybe she was meant to be pulled into that door. I'm worried about her too but Chihiro is strong and I believe in her," Haku grabbed her hands, "She always comes back."

Kana's hands suddenly shocked him and his vision went black.

_"Haku, I don't want to go back. I really don't." Kana's blonde hair flowed in the wind._

_ "I know but you don't belong here. You have to live a normal life. Go back to your family. You've grown so much and you deserve to live a long life. Please Kana." Haku held her hand. They were standing at the edge of a set of stairs looking out into a green landscape._

_ "I love it here though. I've been here for so long, I can't imagine going back to my old life."_

_ "I don't want you to leave either but you are a human. I'm sorry, Kana," Haku smiled, "You know, it's a good thing I was able to remember your real name after all this time. You wouldn't have been able to get back at all."_

_ Kana pouted, "I wish you would have forgotten then. Besides, Nami suits me better." _

_ Haku laughed, "Kana, come on. I'll see you again some day, I'm sure of it."_

_ "Some day could be a very long time," Kana let go of Haku's hand, "I know I belong here. I don't want this to go away. This is everything I've ever wanted in my life. I wish I could stay here forever." The wind picked up and the grass swayed violently._

_ "Kana you need to get back to your world before this turns back into water," Haku grabbed her hand again, "I need you to promise me two things. Please."_

_ Kana looked up at Haku's face and smiled, "Fine,"_

_ "Please don't forget us. As long as we are in your heart we'll never be far away." He smiled at her._

_ Kana's eyes started to water, "I will never forget you Haku. How could I? And what's the second thing?"_

_ "Don't turn around until you reach the other side of the tunnel."_

_ Kana looked out into the field in front of her, "I'm going to miss you when I go back to my boring old life," she looked down at the ground, "Please tell everyone goodbye for me. And you better never forget me either," She smiled at Haku as tears threatened to leave her eyes, "I will see you again some day."_

_ She looked away from Haku and took a step down. Her hand left his and she walked out into the field. The tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. She wanted to turn around. She wanted to turn around and run back to Haku and stay in the Spirit World forever. She knew she belonged there. Kana stopped and looked into the distance at the tunnel. That tunnel would lead her back to her old life where her parents ignored her and nothing ever happened. That tunnel would lead her back to a life that she didn't want to go back to._

'Don't turn around," _Haku's words echoed through her mind._

_ "But I need you all," Kana hesitated, but started to turn around. _

_ She slowly looked up at where Haku was standing with wide eyes, "Kana!"_

_ "What?" She said just as the water started to rise. As it was rising, the parts of her body that were touching the water were disappearing. She couldn't move._

_ Kana started to scream, "Haku! Please help me!"_

_ Haku couldn't do anything. He could not pass the borderline between worlds. He was stuck on the top of the steps watching Kana slowly disappear, "Kana!"_

_ "Haku I'm sorry I didn't listen to you! I just wanted to stay with you. That's all I wanted-" She struggled as the water rose above her head and then she was gone._

_ "NO!" Haku yelled. He fell to his knees and put his hands to his face, "Why did you turn around? Why…."_

Haku's eyes came back into focus and the first thing he saw was Kana's worried face, "Haku! Are you all right? You blacked out."

Haku was lying on the ground with Kana lingering above him. Her hands were on his shoulders as if she had been shaking him. Haku sat up and looked at Kana. Her eyes were wide and they sparkled in the sunlight.

"Why did you turn around?"

Kana's eyes furrowed, "What?"

"You turned around. That's why you can't remember anything," Haku put his hand on his face, "I told you not to."

"I'm sorry I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I thought that I would never see you again. I thought you had disappeared."

Kana leaned back and looked at him, "You're a strange River Spirit."

Haku laughed and looked up at her, "I had no idea what was going to happen to you. But you're here," He stood up and looked down at Kana, "I will help you remember. I promise." He held his hand down to her.

Kana smiled and reached up to grab his hand. She stood up and looked at Haku, "Thank you."

Haku smiled, "So I guess we wait for Chihiro now."

"Will you tell me about the past? Please tell me everything. I'm going to believe you only because I can't remember anything before waking up here."

"Of course," Haku smiled at her, "You were seventeen years old and you showed up one day in the Spirit World. I found you while I was on a mission for Yubaba. You took the fact that you were in a different world surprisingly well. I had to take you to the Bath House and you worked for Yubaba for a long time. I slowly became almost completely controlled by her and you were the only one that could break me out of that at the time. I was just a puppet when I wasn't around you. But somehow you broke me out of that trance. After you left, I didn't come out of it until Chihiro came along. At that point, you had already been erased from my memory, but something about her was so strong and innocent that it brought me back to myself again. I had met her before in my previous life and she helped me remember my true name. When you first got here, Yubaba gave you a new name so she could control you. I knew that you had to eventually go back to the Human World so I carved your real name into a floor board so I could remind you of it when you started to forget. I didn't want you to end up like me with nowhere to go." Haku looked down at the ground.

"What was my name there?

He looked up at her again, "Manami. It stands for love, beauty, and the sea. I think Yubaba chose it because of your eyes," Haku smiled at her, "We used to call you Nami for short."

"I wish that I could really remember this. They seem like such beautiful memories."

"I still can't believe you're here though. And of course Chihiro found you," Haku laughed.

"What do you mean?"

Haku looked at the wooden door, "Chihiro came to the Spirit World once before. She saved us all. She saved me from Yubaba and now I'm free because of her," Haku smiled, "She was our savior.

"I knew that she would eventually forget us when she left the Spirit World, but I had to let her go back to her parents. Just like I had told you when you had to leave, she had to live her life. She didn't belong here. She eventually forgot us, but I waited for her. I had no idea if I would ever see her again but I couldn't break the promise I had made. I started to think that she would never come back and I eventually gave up. There was nothing I could do to bring her back since my river from the Human World had dried up. But somehow, she found her way back with no memory at all. I felt her presence back in the Spirit World, and sure enough I found her right where we had met the first time.

"I think you both were destined to meet. And because of that we got to meet again, Kana. I get to see you both again even though I believed it was impossible at times."

"Chihiro seems like she is important to you."

"I've known her since she was very small. I never realized that she would become so important to me and my world."

"She's going to save us again." Kana stared off into the distance.

"I know that. I believe in her; I always have." Haku smiled.

Kana looked over at him. He was looking down and his mouth was angled upward in a smile like he was remembering something. Kana's head tilted as she looked at him. She knew what he was feeling but she couldn't put it into words. She had felt it before.

Haku felt her eyes on him and he turned his head to look at her, "Are you all right?"

Kana realized what she was doing and averted her eyes, "Oh, um," she stuttered, "I was just trying to understand what you were feeling. I recognized it from before I think."

Haku eyes widened in surprise, "I was just thinking about when Chihiro passed Yubaba's test right before she left. I was standing at the other end of the bridge waiting for her and just had to believe with everything I could that she would pass it, and she did."

"What would have happened if she didn't pass it?"

"Yubaba had a contract that Chihiro signed when she first got here. If she didn't pass, she would be forced to stay here forever and be her slave. If she passed, then the contract would break and she would be able to go home with her parents who had been turned into pigs."

"Did anything like that happen to me?"

"Not that I can remember right now, no. You came alone so there was nothing for Yubaba to threaten you with. She eventually let you go after you proved yourself useful to her."

"This would be so much easier if I could remember all of this. Then you wouldn't have to explain everything to me." Kana sighed and looked out into the woods.

"You will remember."

"I just hope that Chihiro is safe and she knows what she's doing." Kana pulled up her knees to her chest and hugged them.

"All we can do is believe in her."


	9. Chapter 9

"Do you have any idea where you're going?" The Great Sorcerer interrogated Chihiro from behind.

"Yes I do, but you're distracting me. Please stop asking me questions," Chihiro answered, annoyed.

"Well it seems to me that you're just walking around."

Chihiro stopped and turned around abruptly. She put her hands on her hips and looked up at the teenage-looking boy in front of her, "I'm trying to find the tunnel to the Spirit World. That's how I got in both times so I thought I would try to find it again. You're not helping at all. Do you want out or not?"

The Great Sorcerer said nothing. Chihiro smirked sarcastically at him and turned back around.

"So why…" Chihiro whirled around to look at him again, "I was just going to ask you a question. I will not inquire you again on your knowledge of how to get out of here."

Chihiro tilted her eyebrow upward, "I guess that's fine then," She continued walking again.

"So…" he hesitated, "Why did you think that I'm Ryuu?"

"Oh… Well you look exactly like him so that's the only reason I can think of. You sure don't act like him."

"Who is Ryuu?"

"He's my best friend. We met when I accidentally opened a door into him and we've been friends ever since." Chihiro stepped over a branch lying in the road.

The Great Sorcerer changed the subject, "What's the Spirit World like? I haven't been there in so long I can't quite remember what it looks like," He sounded innocent for the first time and Chihiro almost forgot whom she was talking to.

"It's so beautiful. I used to be afraid, but not anymore. I learned so much from being there many years ago and a piece of my heart stayed there even when I left," Chihiro smiled and looked upward at the trees that stood so still and silent, "There's this little town on the outskirts where Spirits eat and then you walk up these huge stairs to get to a red bridge. Over looking the bridge there's an ocean that goes on forever. Sometimes a train passes. It's weird to watch a train roll through the ocean after it has rained. Then on the other side of the red bridge there's a ginormous Bath House. A friend of mine runs it now but it used to be run by a Witch named Yubaba. I didn't like her very much but her twin sister Zeniba was very kind to me."

"It seems like so much has changed since I was there last. I may recall a Yubaba but she was a very young Spirit at the time. I may also remember her sister as well but I could never tell them apart."

"Yubaba was young once? That's hard to believe," Chihiro laughed.

"Quite young actually. If I can remember correctly, I think she was a kind Spirit as well."

Chihiro raised her eyebrows in astonishment, "Now THAT'S something that's very hard to believe."

"It'll be very strange to go back. There aren't very many Spirits left who actually know that I exist. I've taken on a new form since I've been stuck here so it'll be hard to even convince the ones who know me."

"You took on a new form?" Chihiro stopped and turned to him again.

"My Spirit is so powerful that it has to keep using different bodies. One physical body is not strong enough to hold my Spirit forever. So it latches onto bodies not being used anymore so I can have a physical form. It happens automatically. Most of the time now I don't even realize it happens. I've actually taken on several new forms since I've been here and this is my newest one."

Something dawned on Chihiro and she forgot how to breathe, "Wait… you said that you latch onto bodies not being used anymore?"

The Great Sorcerer looked at her without an expression on his face.

"And you have Ryuu's body…" Chihiro stared in disbelief at the ground not knowing what to do.

"I had nothing to do with what happened to your friend. My Spirit is just recycling his physical body."

"Are you telling me that my best friend is dead?" Chihiro looked up into her best friend's face with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry,"

"No…" Chihiro broke down and fell to the floor. Her knees and hands slammed into the rocks in the road but she didn't feel anything.

The Great Sorcerer didn't know what do to. He stood, looking down at Chihiro's body shaking on the ground. He bent over and set his staff onto the road. Then he walked over to where Chihiro was and took his cloak off. He laid it over top of her and knelt down in front of her. She looked up for a brief second but couldn't look at him. She brought her bloody hands up to her face to cover her eyes as she sobbed.

"Chihiro I had nothing to do with the death of your friend," he said sympathetically.

"I believe you, but I can't look at your face right now," she managed in between fits of sobbing. The Great Sorcerer stood up and walked behind her. He grabbed her arms and lifted her up to a standing position, "What are you…"

"Shh, just trust me," he interrupted her. He took the cloak that was around her shoulders and lifted up the hood so it enclosed her face, "Now you can't see me."

Chihiro slowly stopped crying when he said that, "Thank you," she said genuinely. She turned around without looking up into his face and wrapped her arms around his waist. The Great Sorcerer looked down at her in surprise and just let her hug him tightly for a while. He hesitantly put his arms down onto her back to comfort her.

The Great Sorcerer noticed something in his peripheral vision. He looked to the side and saw a red brick building in the distance, "Is that the tunnel you are looking for?"

Chihiro broke the hug and looked over through the trees to see the familiar tunnel with the statue sitting in front of it, "We found it!" Chihiro grabbed The Great Sorcerer's hand and pulled him along the road. He smiled as he looked at the hooded figure in front of him.

"You could call me Shinji if you want. It's much easier," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Then I will call you Shinji," Chihiro held back her tears and sorrow. She remembered that she needed to save a whole world. There was nothing she could do about Ryuu anymore. Haku was waiting for her back at the Bath House and Kana was waiting for her at the doorway. She would grieve another time.

She had to save the Spirit World.


End file.
